The other day, I received the TOEIC results that I had been looking forward to. Before checking my score, I was worried that it might not have changed much from last time, or that it might even be lower. However, my score increased by about 100 points compared to the previous test, and I was very happy. I feel that my daily efforts, such as memorizing vocabulary little by little and practicing listening, have finally shown results. What made me especially happy was that my listening score improved compared to last time. Recently, even though I cannot understand everything, I have started to catch key words and understand the general flow of conversations. Seeing this small improvement reflected in my score gave me a lot of confidence. I still have not reached my target score, and there are many points I need to improve. In the reading section, I could not manage my time well, and I hesitated on many grammar questions. I want to use these reflections to do better next time. From this result, I learned that even if effort does not lead to immediate big results, it will take shape if I continue. To improve my score even more, I will keep studying as I have been and continue to work hard step by step.

Happy New Year! I hope this year will be a good one. At the beginning of the year, I went to a shrine for Hatsumode. It was very crowded, but the atmosphere felt special and calm. I felt like the new year had really started. I prayed for my health, my studies, and a good year. I am not very religious, but going to a shrine makes me feel refreshed. It is a good way to think about my goals and reset my mind. After that, I drew an omikuji. I was a little nervous when I opened it, but I was very happy because I got Daikichi, which means great luck. It said that if I keep making effort, better things than I expect will happen. Reading that made me feel hopeful and positive. Of course, I know that good things do not happen automatically. I think effort is very important. The message reminded me that I should not be lazy and should keep trying, even when things are difficult. This year, I want to challenge myself more. I want to study harder, try new things, and not be afraid of failure. I do not know what will happen in the future, but I want to believe in myself and keep moving forward. Getting Daikichi gave me confidence and motivation. I want to make this year a meaningful one by my own actions. I will do my best this year.

Hi! I’m from India and I want to improve my English speaking and confidence. I’m looking for a friendly language partner for daily or regular practice. We can talk about daily life, studies, culture, or anything simple 🙂

Let's test our winter vocabulary! Name a winter activity, item of clothing, and a weather word—all starting with the letter 'S'! Example: Skiing, Scarf, Snowfall. Can you list your three?

It was very dangerous that day. I was still remembering this situation when I drowned under the sea. The whole story began when we my parents planned to go to the beach accompaning my grandparents. I waded in the water with my brother and grandfather. Suddenly, the sand in the water started to dissolve under my feets. Being drowned for a while was a strange feeling. It was unbelievable since I could breath while drowning! Everyone who I told him didn't believe me. I managed through climbing on my grandfather body. However, my grandfather drowned instead of me and I realized that my brother also drowned. Eventually, my father rescued us all from drowning. It was like I escaped from death, then I ended up crying and wailing.

Happy New Year. On New Year’s Day, I went to a shrine with my family in the morning and prayed for a good year. Waking up early was a little hard, but the cold air felt fresh and clean. It made me feel that a new year had really started. There were many people at the shrine, and everyone looked happy and calm. The lively mood was very New Year-like and left a strong impression on me. After praying, I drank amazake. It was warm and sweet, and it made my cold body feel relaxed and comfortable. After that, I went to my grandmother’s house and spent time with my relatives. Many family members gathered there, and the house felt very warm and cheerful. There was a lot of food, such as sushi and sukiyaki, on the table. Everything looked delicious, and it was hard to choose what to eat first. I enjoyed every dish, and I ate more than usual. While eating, we talked about recent events, school life, and old memories from the past. We laughed a lot, and time passed very quickly. Some relatives were people I do not see very often, so I was happy to talk with them and hear how they are doing. Spending time together with my family and laughing was very fun and meaningful. I felt once again that New Year is a special time. I was able to start the new year in a positive way, and it became a New Year I will remember for a long time.

Sooner or later, we definitely face some hardships in our lives, but different people have different attitudes on these problems. For the people who experienced some tough times in their chidhoods are always very strong-minded when they grow up. No matter, what diffculties they meet, they can keep looking on the bright side. They have a specific character that they never complain anything, all they do is to slove the problems. In fact, I am one of them. Each time, when I face some bottlenecks, I make sure that I am clam. I usually recall the same situations appeared in my past days. It can encourage me to believe that everything will pass. The only thing I should do is to be patient and figure out problems as possible as I can. After experiencing successfully sloved some diffcult problems, nothing can be a big deal in my life. So, difficulties can be treasures in your life, not stumbling blocks.

How was everyone’s year-end and New Year holiday? I spent a wonderful and memorable time with my friends. We welcomed the New Year together, which made the moment feel even more special. After the countdown, we went to a shrine for Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year, and drew omikuji to see our fortunes. It was exciting and a little nerve-wracking to read the results, but it was a fun way to start the year. Later that night, we went for a drive toward the ocean. Driving late at night, feeling the cold air, and listening to music with my friends created a peaceful and unforgettable atmosphere. It felt like time slowed down, and I truly enjoyed being in the moment. On New Year’s Day, I went to a hot spring with my friends. Since it was extremely cold at the beginning of the year, soaking in the warm water felt amazing. The hot spring helped me relax completely and recover from my tiredness. My body felt warm, and my mind felt refreshed. That evening, I went to another friend’s house, and we had a Stranger Things watching party. Have you ever watched Stranger Things? I was sad that one of my favorite series had come to an end, but the final episodes were incredible. The story was exciting until the very end, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Nowadays the AI's influence are increasing. On the one hand, it has a lot of advantages such as saving time, creating something cool, for example it can find what you need in a short time or create perfect presentation for your job. On the other hand, it has some disadvantages like people stop thinking, creating. Everything are getting automatic. Some jobs will be replaced such as shop assistant, receptionist, jobs are connected with creating or IT.

Today, I will talk about my studies during winter vacation and spring vacation. I have many assignments at university, including reports and tests. Some reports require me to summarize what we learned in class, while others ask me to think about a topic and write my own ideas. I have two French tests and three English tests. This year is my final year of studying French, so I want to study hard and get good results. For English, I want to study little by little and improve my skills steadily. I usually feel sleepy at night, so I try to study early in the morning after I wake up or study a little during the day. I want to enjoy my winter and spring vacations, so I plan to choose some days to go to the library and focus on studying. I like studying while listening to music, so I want to do my best while listening to Ghibli music. I am interested in study methods, so I would like to know if there are any study methods that you often use and would recommend. Personally, I think studying before sleeping is effective. I have actually experienced that when I look at English vocabulary before going to bed, I can naturally remember the words when I wake up in the morning, which I found very interesting.